Program Overview

Introduction to the MD/MA in Bioethics

The Master of Arts in Bioethics at the College of Global Public Health provides a strong philosophical foundation for navigating urgent questions at the nexus of public health policy and individual choice. The NYU Center for Bioethics offers a dual MD/MA degree in bioethics in partnership with the NYU School of Medicine, educating students in the ethical issues that influence global health.

Program Overview

The MD/MA in bioethics program prepares students for careers as bioethicists in hospitals, medical schools, and other healthcare institutions; as public policy consultants; or as researchers in the field of bioethics. The program explores the ethical implications of areas of science and healthcare such as the Human Genome Project, cloning, stem cell research, organ transplantation, and end-of-life care.

Curriculum

All students take two core courses—Advanced Introduction to Bioethics and Advanced Introduction to Environmental Ethics. Students then personalize their coursework through various NYU graduate schools, including NYU's College of Global Public Health, NYU's Graduate School of Arts and Science, NYU Silver School of Social Work, NYU School of Law, and NYU Robert P. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Students complete a master's thesis project for the MA portion of the degree.

Timeline for Completing the MD/MA in Bioethics

The 32-credit MA in bioethics can be completed with the MD degree in four years. Students take MD courses in the first two years and enroll in MA courses full time in the third year. During the year dedicated to the MA, students begin work on their practicum, a hands-on thesis project in a health or environmental organization.

Practicum Examples

• Shadowing a hospital palliative care physician to examine moral and epistemic issues involving patient care
• Investigating environmental health responsibilities around a green‐roof promotion project in a city neighborhood
• Working with public health advocates to develop educational and policy responses to confusion about vaccines

MD/MA Program Application, Tuition, and Funding

Students apply to the MD/MA in bioethics directly through NYU's School of Global Public Health with a separate, program-specific application in the spring of their second year at NYU School of Medicine. Students receive an NYU School of Medicine scholarship to cover the cost of tuition for the MD degree program. Every year, one NYU medical student is selected for the competitive Arthur Zitrin Fellowship in Ethics and Medicine, a 50% tuition scholarship awarded based on merit, demonstrated interest in the field of bioethics, and overall application strength.